PHILISTIA (PALESTINE). Askalon. Autonomous issues, 1st century BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 27 mm, 13.74 g, 12 h), CY 38 = 67/6 BC. Diademed and draped bust of Antiochos VIII to right. Rev. ΙΕΡΑΣ ΑΣΥ ΑΥΤ• ΑΣΚΑΛΩΝΙΤΩΝ Eagle, with closed wings, standing left on thunderbolt; palm frond over shoulder; in field to left, ΑΣ above dove standing left; in field to right, ΗΛ (date). BMC -. Gitler & Master 37 (O26/R35). HGC 10, 516. SNG ANS -. Sofaer -. Spaer, Ascalon, -. Very rare. Slightly rough and with light deposits and minor areas of weakness, otherwise, very fine.


The rare autonomous silver coinage of Askalon began in the early 1st century BC. It is dated according to a local era that traces back to the granting of autonomy by Antiochos VIII in 104/3 BC. With the exception of a single issue under Cleopatra VII, all the tetradrachms feature the portrait of this Seleukid king. In doing so, they not only adopt a familiar iconography that facilitated their circulation alongside the many other Seleukid tetradrachms struck on the Ptolemaic weight standard, which dominated coinage in the Levant, but also pay homage to the ruler who had granted the city its autonomy.